X-ray detectors for measuring x-radiation are typically implemented by the x-radiation being absorbed and a measurement signal being generated therefrom. To this end a number of approaches to solutions exist. For certain x-ray detectors with scintillators the x-ray quanta are converted into light by means of the scintillator and the light is converted for example by a matrix of photodiodes into an electrical measurement signal. One possible problem with this approach is that the light may be scattered and broken within the scintillator so that the light of a single x-ray quantum is frequently detected distributed over a number of matrix elements and the result of this is an inadequate resolution of the measurement signal. For certain x-ray detectors with semiconductor-based direct converters (e.g. As, CdTe) electrical charges generated directly by the x-ray quantum is read out as a measurement signal. One possible disadvantage of direct converters however is that their x-ray absorption is often of low quality at high energies or that producing them at high quality in the necessary volume may be very expensive.
In addition a high voltage may be necessary in order to separate the charges and read them out.